Now therefore, be wise, O Kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest He be angry. Blessed [happy] are those who put their trust in Him. Psalms 1

*Be wise

**Be instructed

***Serve the Lord with fear

These were the three things I remembered this morning as I left the house, and honestly, they were so helpful to mediate on throughout this day. I kept these 3 significant directions with me as I went off to school, completed 2 tests, and then encountered God as I was in the grocery store.

You’re probably saying to yourself “huh? God in the grocery store?

Yes, I had a very humbling experience in the grocery store today.

I said to my friend Sarah that I needed to go the grocery store to get a few things, I was running low on a few items and yogurt was one of them.

I knew in my Spirit that I still had food left in my freezer that I haven’t touched. Food that was prepared by my family members, such as homemade soup, and other items that haven’t even been opened. I also knew that I had a pantry full of food that would go to waste if I didn’t use it up before it expires.

Somehow, I knew that I would be able to use up the food that I had left in my fridge, freezer, and pantry but I still insisted to go to the grocery store and buy more food..just incase.. to feel better..to feel more secure…

As we entered the grocery store I said to myself “Sara, just get yogurt. Don’t buy anything else you don’t need. You still have plenty of food at home.” My eyes however, were gazed upon other things in the grocery store that I felt I truly couldn’t live without. The next thing you know, I have my hands full of grocery items and wasn’t even sure I’d be able to pay for it all.

My mom told me over the phone yesterday she was going to e-transfer me some money over for groceries. Just like that. Just in the click of a button I would have money put into my bank account. The thought of this made me feel like I should try to use what I have at home first, because I truly didn’t need more than what I already have been blessed with.

So as I waited in long grocery line with an overflowing basket of food, I contemplated back and forth “Do I need all of this?” I admitted to my friend Sarah, “I really don’t need all of these groceries. I still have tons of food at home” She said “Yeah, but if you’re going to eat it eventually than it’s okay.” She’s right, it is okay. But what’s not okay is that I could hear God saying to me “Put the food back. You don’t need to spend your money on more food. I have given you food to last you for the next few weeks until you go home”. And just to add, it’s not even my money I would be spending, it’s my mom’s well earned money I’d be using.

I proceeded to pay for the groceries. It was all scanned, bagged and ready to be purchased. for. “$37.77, how would you like to pay today?” The cashier asked, and I replied by saying “debit please.” Putting the chip in the bottom, and punching in my information.

“Sorry miss, your card didn’t go through.” I was shocked. How could it be declined when my mom said she had put money on my card yesterday? I apologized and told her to ring through the person behind me, I didn’t want to hold up the line But she couldn’t do that unless she suspended my purchase. I quickly called my mom, and told her the situation. Without any hesitation my mother said “Okay, I’ll put money on your card right away!” I honestly couldn’t proceed with buying the groceries for a few reasons.

I know that I have enough food to last me for a few weeks, why am I spending my mom’s money on more food that could potentially go to waste?

Why am I doubting God, that I wouldn’t be able to get by with what I have? He says many times throughout His Word that He’ll supply our needs.

Plain and simply, it didn’t feel right. It felt like I was distressing God, and I could’t do that after meditating on His word this morning “Serve the Lord with fear, be instructed, be wise.”

So, I told the cashier that I wouldn’t be buying any of the food but I would put it all back. I told them that I would just purchase the yogurt for today. I could have dealt with an angry or frustrated person who thought I was absolutely nuts, but I was okay with that. The lady however was so kind and gracious towards me, and said she would get someone else to put all the groceries back. I felt terrible that someone would have to go through all of that trouble, and insisted to put it back but they said it would be best to leave it. I knew that if I were to walk away from that grocery store with all that food- I would have been doubting God’s voice.

I felt so relieved and content once I walked out of the grocery store, almost empty handed. I purchased what I originally intended to buy, and trusted God would take care of the rest.

So what am I trying to say here? That spending money on groceries is wrong? Absolutely not. Food is for the stomach, ands stomach for food. But when we spend our precious time, money, or energy worrying about not having enough…that’s when we know were not trusting the Lord enough to help us.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be groceries either. It can be clothing, electronics, cars, you name it. Some of us, including myself, have spent time and money going out and buying things that I already know I have and know I don’t need. I end up with a closet overflowing of clothes that I never wear, book shelves overflowing with books I never read, DVD’s and cd’s overflowing that I have never watched “intending” to, but never do.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Mathew 6:25

Can I ask you something? Where do you spend most of your time, money, energy? Do you ever worry about not having enough? Do you ever doubt that God will supply you with all your needs? I do. But today, I realized that God has my back.

And He has yours too, trust Him.

*Truths to meditate on*

Mathew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.